New Beginnings
by fatalxdesiresx
Summary: New beginnings can be scary, especially when you're not used to living a normal life. But when you've got the people you love by your side, anything can seem possible and life can be beautiful. AU and features Sean&Alex and Nikita&Owen.
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm so sorry for disappearing again. I've just been lazy again. And busy, too. Sometimes. But mostly lazy. Anyway, here's that Salex and Owkita AU I promised you guys. I know Guernsey seems like a really odd choice, but I wasn't sure where else to place them. The last book I read was about Guernsey so of course that was my first choice, lol. Anyway, I do hope you all like this.

As for how I'll be writing these chapters. Um, each will be written from a different POV. Like, I started off from Sean/Alex's POV, so CH2 will be from Nikita and Owen's POV, and then 3 will be from S/A's, etc. I'll go back and forth like that to give each couple equal attention.

And I know I started a Teen Wolf series for Isaac, but I might scrap it and start a different one entirely. It will still be for Isaac and Lydia (OTP y'all) and it will be smut. Not enough Lysaac smut, okay? And not enough Owkita smut, either. So I might post some Owkita smut eventually. So stay tuned.

Feedback appreciated! Enjoy chapter 1 :) (and any ideas for future chapters are welcome, i.e., anything you'd like to see happen I'll see if I can work in, if reasonable.)

* * *

_This is where the healing begins, oh _  
_This is where the healing starts _  
_When you come to where you're broken within _  
_The light meets the dark _  
_The light meets the dark _

* * *

Guernsey. Honestly, Alex hadn't ever expected herself to ever live here. It was without a doubt gorgeous; more gorgeous than anywhere else she had been. The weather was mild, it was always sunny out – a nice change from the bleak weather she was used to. Had been used to. It'd been hard at first trying to settle down, forget about Division. After six months, she found everything a bit easier. She hadn't been able to relax immediately at first, and as much as Sean denied it, he had been on guard for the first few months too.

Now, after half a year in Guernsey, they finally felt at home. And their home – when they had first arrived on the island, there had been a lot of houses for sale or rent. Only one had caught Alex's eye and right away she knew she wanted it. The poor house was located up on a hill, the ocean as their prime view. It was the best view on the island, in Alex's humble opinion. Their closest neighbors lived five miles in either direction, which suited her. She liked having privacy. Behind the house, towards the south, was another house, which had been empty for several years now and looked like it would continue to be empty for more years to come. Late at night when she couldn't sleep, Alex would sit out in the backyard and stare at the figure of the empty house, wishing for Nikita. She missed her more than ever.

To get her mind off of Nikita and to keep herself from missing her, Alex began to read. She read a lot. It was the little things that she tried to do, either on her own or with Sean, who was the biggest help in helping her not miss Nikita. When she was around Sean, she never felt alone and she always felt loved and happy. It'd been so long since she felt either of those and they felt so, so good and she wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. Aside from reading, the flowers around the island caught Alex's eye. There was an abundance of flowers, all so vibrant, and Alex would pick them and make floral arrangements and spread vases overflowing with flowers around the house. After a couple months and help from one of their neighbors, she also started her own garden – what else could do? It was weird at first, her gardening, but over time she found it therapeutic. She liked getting her hands dirty, feel the dirt between her fingers and see the result of her work. It was rewarding. The garden was her refuge – both her's and Sean's, really. There was every type of flower you could find on the island right in their backyard, and flowers of every color: blue, light purple, dark purple, white, yellow, orange, and red.

Aside from gardening and reading – and while that may sound boring to some people, Alex liked and enjoyed it since it was normal and gave her moments to relax with a glass of wine – she had started teaching self defense classes in the town center. She and Sean had bought, or invested rather, in a small, abandoned building in the square and updated it with the help of some others; and though there was some hesitation at first, after seeing the way Alex could handle herself others (men and women alike) signed up for her classes. She'd never be able to get rid of that edge, and at least this way she didn't have to.

As happy as she was on the island with Sean, there was a part of her that still felt empty. She wished she didn't feel that way, but Nikita's absence weighed heavily on her. As soon as she opened her eyes, she thought of Nikita. Sighing, Alex rolled over onto her other side to gaze at Sean, who was fast asleep beside her. He lay on his back, one arm under the pillow his head was resting on, his other arm draped across his torso. Smiling, Alex reached out and lightly traced her fingertips along his arm, admiring the muscles on him. He still managed to stay in shape. They both did. They were restless on occasion and going for runs helped them.

Smiling, Alex rolled over to face Sean, pressing her body close against his and leaning in to press a gentle kiss against the corner of his eye. When he stirred, she dipped her head and kissed the side of his neck, slipping her arm across his torso and then decided to get on top of him.

"_Mm, what an excellent way to wake up,"_ he said, his voice thick with sleep. He opened his eyes to look at her, lifting a hand and placing it on her arm as she lay on top of him, their bodies pressed together and her face close to his. He smiled, lifting his other hand to run his hand through her hair and brush some of it behind her ear. He never tired of waking up beside her, seeing her first thing in the morning. She looked absolutely gorgeous first thing in the morning – her skin flushed and her hair all messed up.

"_Isn't it?"_ Alex said, grinning at him. She leaned the side of her head into his hand as he ran his fingers through her hair, enjoying the touch. _"I was tempted to just let you sleep, but the more I watched you sleep the less I could resist from getting on top of you."_

"_Well, I am hard to resist with a body like this,"_ he replied, smirking, and made Alex laugh. She dipped her head to kiss his chest. He couldn't begin to explain how much he loved to hear her laugh. Finally being free of Division and starting fresh somewhere else, it had changed Alex. He knew she'd had a bit of a hard time adjusting at first, but she was adaptable and soon enough she'd gotten the hang of things. He noticed little things about her, differences that might mean nothing to others but meant a lot to him. Not only did she laugh more, she also smiled more and opened up to him. She was more willing to talk about her past and he was always there for her. He felt closer to her now than when they'd both been in Division.

"_You're so full of yourself,"_ Alex said, shaking her head as she laughed lightly. She remained on top of him, stacking her arms on top of one another and propping her chin on her hands.

"_But you still love me," _he said, matter-of-factly.

Alex pursed her lips, thinking over if she really did love him just to tease him. After a few moments and when Sean begins to arch an eyebrow at her, she smiles and nods. _"I still love you."_

They gazed at one another for several moments, and then Alex dropped her gaze down to her hand. Specifically, her left hand where there was a gold band on her wedding finger. She lifted her hand a bit, examining her finger and liking what she was seeing.

Sean smiled and gazed at Alex as she stared at the engagement ring on her ring finger. They'd yet to get married and he was okay with that. After all they'd been through, he hadn't expected to make it this far and he didn't want to push her. When Alex's smile faded, however, he frowned and reached up and cupped the side of her face. _"Hey, what's wrong?"_ he asked her.

She looked up at him, her eyes misty. She shook her head and slid off of him, sitting up and pulling the sheet up to cover her chest. _"It's just – I keep having these nightmares,"_ she confessed, feeling embarrassed. Alex sighs heavily, glancing at Sean and then looking away, running her hands up and down her arms before hugging herself. She felt stupid, but she'd kept having them ever since the mutiny happened back at Division and they involved Sean. _"About Division,"_ she continued, and when Sean began to say something that looked like a protest she adds, _"About you,"_ and that makes him fall silent and he looks at her worriedly.

"_About me?"_

She nods. _"In them you, uh, get shot."_ Alex pauses and looks down, digging her fingertips into the flesh of her arm as segments of the dream flashes in her mind. It still feels so real. _"You get shot protecting me. I can't do anything to help you. I'm completely helpless in the dream – there's no one there to help me, no one. I can't – you die there in my arms. You die."_ She finally looks up at him, tears in her eyes blurring her vision. She sniffs and lifts her hand to wipe at her eyes, seeing more clearly afterward.

"_I wish you'd told me this sooner," _he said, sitting up and putting his arm around Alex, leaning in to press a kiss to the side of her head. Alex leans into him, pressing her lips together to keep herself from crying. _"I hate the thought of you handling all this on your own."_

"_I know. I wanted to tell you, but - I just, I wasn't sure how to bring it up, you know? They went away for a while and I thought that was that, but then they came back last week." _She closed her eyes and sighs when Sean begins to run his fingers through her hair, a gesture he'd always done and which she'd always enjoyed but always taken for granted, but not anymore. She had come to love it, realizing it soothed her in a way a gesture soothed a child to sleep. As the minutes passed, she felt herself grow calmer and less distressed. _"They always end with you dying in my arms."_

"_Hey." _Sean pulls away so that they're facing each other and he hooks his forefinger under her chin, tilting her face up to look at him. _"I'm safe and we're together. Division is dead. We've got nothing to worry about, Alex. I promise you I won't ever leave you again and that nothing will happen to me. Okay?"_

Alex nods, though she's still not completely sure. However, Sean's confidence and promise is enough for her for now. He's kept his promises to her so far. He's been with her every step of the way, loved her, been patient with her. He's done everything for her. She's trusted him more than anyone else, besides Nikita.

"_Now promise me if you have anymore of these nightmares that you'll tell me, okay?" _Sean asked, caressing the underside of her chin with the edge of his forefinger. Alex nods, smiling halfheartedly at him. Leaning in, Sean kisses her forehead and then wraps his arms around her and pulls her in for a hug. Alex rests her head on his shoulder, sighing heavily and closing her eyes as she lets him hold her. She feels better now that she's confessed about the nightmares, relieved he now knows about them. She'd felt so terrible keeping them from him for so long. It'd felt so wrong.

"_I promise," _she said, slipping her arms around his back as she takes a deep breath and inhales the scent of him. She was finally opening up to him, telling him things about herself she'd never told anyone else and she didn't want to take a step back from that and close the space between them again. Those months in Division without them had been so hard for her. When she feels him press kisses to her hair, she smiles and pulls back to look at him, sighing. _"Let's go out. I don't have classes today."_

"_Mmmm," _ Sean murmured, a grin on his face as he gazes at her with a glint in his eye. He hates to just drop the subject of these nightmares. He wants to know more, but he doesn't want to push Alex. He wants her to come to him on her own and not be forced. _"I have a better idea," _Sean adds, glancing down at her lips.

"_Shower first," _she agreed, grinning.

Alex jumps out of bed, beating him to the bathroom. She pulls aside the pale yellow shower curtain and turns on the water, letting it get warm as she goes over to open a window to let in some natural light. She gazes out at the ocean view, smiling as she takes it in while slowly pushing her cotton nightgown down her arms, feeling it brush against her thighs as it falls to the floor.

Turning around, she steps out of her nightgown and underwear and gets in the shower, wetting her back and running her hands over her hair as she wets it. It's a few moments before she hears the shower curtain pulled aside and feels Sean's hands on her waist and then feels his lips against the side of her neck. She tilts her head to the side, a smile on her face as he sucks on her neck. Lowering her arms, she slips them around him and presses her body against his. As he kisses her neck, she presses kisses to his chest, sucking here and there and even biting down now and then, grazing her teeth against his flesh.

Sean ran his hands down her back, resting them on her lower back as he leaves a trail of hot, open mouthed kisses along the side of her neck, her wet hair sticking to her skin. Turning his head, Sean pressed his lips to the tip of her shoulder, sucking on her skin as the warm water trickled down her shoulder. After several moments, he finally pulled away and cupped the side of her jaw with one hand and crushed his lips against hers, their lips parting simultaneously and their tongues wrapping around each other.

Impatient and aroused, Alex gripped onto Sean's shoulders and turned, falling back against the cold shower wall and pressing Sean against her. He slid his hands down her thighs, slipping them behind her knees and lifting her up, wrapping her legs around his waist as she slipped her hand down between them to find his cock and slide him into her. She bit down on his bottom lip once he was inside her, moving her hands around to his back and digging her fingertips into his flesh. She held onto him as he slammed into her with a soft grunt, his breath warm against her face and his heart beating hard against his chest.

Sitting on the bed an hour later, Alex tucked her legs underneath her and made out a list for Sean. He watched her; admiring her in his white cotton shirt and as she absentmindedly scratched behind her ear and frowned as she thought of what to put on the list of food for him to get for dinner tonight. He loved how she always bit down on her lip and chewed on it when planning something, or twirled the pen between her fingers as she gave the list she was working on another look to make sure she'd written everything down.

"_What do you want with the sea bass?" _Alex finally asked after several moments of silence, looking up at Sean. She looked him over, checking him out in the jeans and baby blue shirt and feeling jealous of how quickly and easily he could get ready to go out. Not that she was really high maintenance or anything. She never spent too long on her own hair like other women did. She liked to let her hair air-dry on some days or she just added a little gel, blow-dried it and then curled it a little and was good to go. Or she was lazy and just tied it up. But men never knew how easy they had it. Bastards.

"_How about salad?" _he suggested, walking over to her. _"Gotta watch my figure," _he joked, grinning at Alex as he leaned down and kissed her before she could reply to him. She laughed and fell back, bringing her hand up to cup the side of his jaw, and took his upper lip between both of her own lips and sucked on it, which made Sean's spine tingle with pleasure.

"_You're an ass," _ she said, as she pulled away a moment later, playfully shoving him away.

Sean pouted at her, leaning in for another kiss but Alex turned her head and Sean ended up kissing the side of her jaw, which worked out just as well. He nipped at her skin along her jawline, making Alex shudder lightly. _"I'll be back soon," _he said, slipping his hand down between her legs and tickling the inside of her thigh. Alex, who was ticklish there, gasped and smacked his hand and playfully glared at him as she watched him leave. She fell back on the bed after she heard the front door open and then close. She smacked her lips together, staring up at the ceiling as she played with her fingers, her arms stretched above her head.

Alex thought about going for a run, but since she'd already showered she decided not to. The workout she'd gotten from the sex was enough. Thinking about the shower sex brought a smirk to her face and Alex bit down on her bottom lip, sitting up and getting out of bed before she got anymore urges. Putting on her own clothes – a pair of jeans and a halter top – Alex went out to the kitchen and fixed herself a cup of coffee. _"Son of a bitch," _she said as she reached for the last chocolate chip muffin only to realize it was gone, and to further realize Sean had taken it to eat on the way into town. She sighed heavily, turning around and leaning against the counter.

With a smirk on his face, Sean finished off the muffin as he drove into town. He felt bad for taking it, but he'd get more for Alex. He wasn't sure when she'd developed such a sweet tooth, but she always wanted one of these things every other morning when she didn't have a class to teach.

His first stop was the pâtisserie to get the aforementioned chocolate chip muffins and some chocolate eclairs for himself. On a beautiful island like this, why not enjoy life a little and indulge yourself? After visiting the pâtisserie and getting what he needed, Sean walked over to the fish market. He chatted it up with a fishmonger, at first exchanging pleasantries _("It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" "How's it going?" "How's your wife?" "How's your fiance?" "When are y'two gonna tie the knot?") _and then they got to business.

Leaving satisfied with his purchases, Sean walked throughout the rest of the town center and got everything else on Alex's list. As he was heading back to the truck, he spotted a figure ahead of him and on the other side of the street that was familiar. It couldn't be, though. Could it? He stopped walking and stared, not wanting to believe it. He really shouldn't be surprised, though, he thought somewhat bitterly to himself.

Snapping out of his daze, Sean began walking again and crossed the street. The person he saw had turned the corner and entered a shop, but as Sean crossed the street and drew closer, he exited the shop and now they were face to face, both equally started.

"_Sean."_

"_Owen."_

They stared at one another. Sean as if to say, _I knew I'd see you sooner or later. I can never get away from you or Nikita or any of the others. I'll never be rid of any of you. _And Owen wanted to be anywhere but here. He knew he'd done things that the others couldn't forgive, except Nikita.

And then he, Sean, thought of Nikita. At least this would be good for Alex. She missed Nikita like hell. He couldn't begin to imagine her reaction to learning Nikita was here. That was, if she was here. She had to be here, though. Last time he'd seen her her and Owen had seemed pretty chummy, or at least that had been the impression he had gotten. _"How long have you been here? Is Nikita here with you?" _ he finally asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"_A few days, and yeah. She's back at the house. Resting." _He paused, deliberating on whether or not to tell him that Nikita was pregnant since she'd left that out on her last visit to Alex. _"And Alex is here with you?"_

"_Yeah. We're engaged." _Another awkward silence fell. Finally Sean spoke again. _"Look, I'd kinda hoped to never see you or Nikita or anyone again, but she means the world to Alex and Alex has been missing her. And I'd do anything for Alex. We don't have much planned for today and if you and Nikita don't either, why don't we, you know, plan a get-together or something for later?" _he suggested.

He was taken aback by Sean's blunt honesty, but he couldn't help but to smile. Owen kind of had to agree with him; he had hoped to avoid the others as well. Not because he didn't like them – he did like them, he realized. He kind of missed them. Especially Ryan. He hadn't gotten to know him very well and honestly, he thought they could've gotten along well if given the chance to get to know each other better. They were being given an opportunity here, though. Nikita and Alex were special to each other and he could see that these past few months away from Alex had been hard on Niki. Having Alex back in her life would be good. Starting a new life and having Alex with her, what could be better?

"_Okay."_

So he didn't return as soon as he promised. Sean remained in town with Owen for a couple of hours, discussing the reunion plans for their girls over lunch, which was on him. The conversation between them remained formal for a while, and then eventually they both loosened up and Owen finally told Sean about Nikita's condition.

"_Seriously?" _Was his first response, which made Owen chuckle. _"I mean, congratulations. I just – I kinda just always thought it'd be her and Michael, you know," _ he added, and then quickly continued, _"So how's she handling the pregnancy? How far along is she?"_

"_She's about six months. And she's doing well. She's Nikita, you know. She does her yoga, makes her veggie shakes. She's kind of frustrating, in a way. She won't pig out. I get so sick of the veggie shakes, man. I have to come into town to stuff my face full of fatty foods. She just misses Alex. She wanted Alex to be the baby's aunt and godmother."_

"_Do you know if it's a boy or girl?" _Sean asked, smiling at the thought of Alex as an aunt, and then as a mother. He thought she'd make a damn fine mom, even if she didn't. They hadn't really talked about it, but he'd seen her with some local kids. They adored her and she was so good with them. Her face lit up whenever she saw them and vice versa.

"_It's a girl."_

"_Got a name picked out yet?"_

Owen shook his head and then glanced down to check his watch, cursing. _"I should get going. So we're gonna do this at your place?" _ he asked. Getting them in a new place altogether would be an easier way of surprising them, but they both wanted to do this somewhere familiar to one of them, so they decided on Sean and Alex's place. Besides, they lived close by to one another. The empty house behind Sean and Alex? The one that had been abandoned for several years, as of four days ago it was now taken.

"_Yeah, be there at seven," _Sean said, leaving a couple twenties on the table and getting up. He grabbed his grocery bags, heading back out with Owen. _"I'll see you tonight."_

He gave him a look, unable to believe he was abou to go on a double date (for lack of a better word) with Owen and Nikita, of all people. They parted ways and Sean went to grab the sea bass he'd left with the fishmonger, who'd kindly agreed to keep it for a while longer on the ice to prevent it from spoiling.

When he got back to the house and put the groceries away, Sean went in search of Alex and found her out in her garden. She was sitting in her chair, a glass of wine in her hand and a book in the other. _"It's a little early, isn't it?" _he asked, teasing her. _"Should I be worried about you becoming an alcoholic?"_

"_Where've you been?" _she asked, ignoring his tease. _"You said you'd be back soon?"_

"_Yeah, sorry about that. I, uh, ran into some friends. Had lunch with some people. Made plans for us tonight. I've got some people coming over for you to meet."_

Alex frowned, setting her wine glass down. _"Who?" _she asked, turning back to look at him. She lifted her legs and pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs as she looked up at Sean, waiting for an answer.

"_Just... some people I think you'll want to meet. Trust me." _He smiled and took a step forward, cupping the back of her head as he leaned in to kiss her forehead. He heard Alex sighed and felt her eyelashes brush his cheek and then he pulled away and smiled down at her. _"Now get back to du Maurier," _he added, glancing at the book in her lap. He grins at her and flicks the tip of her nose, something she hates and she swats at his hand as he walks away.

Alex watches him leave, thinking over who it is he could want her to meet until she finally gives up and takes his advice, returning to her book. She didn't give up that easily, though. She tried a few more times throughout the day, attempting to trick him into telling her what he was up to, but he didn't fall for it. Frustrated, Alex refused to talk to him until the time came for her to get ready for company.

Even though she has no idea who she's meeting and Sean won't tell her so she doesn't know how she should dress – casual jeans and a shirt or wear a dress and look nice – she finally decides on a fuchsia,

Georgette dress with a smocked waist, bell sleeves, and a v-neckline. She feels comfortable in this and if need be, she could easily slip on a pair of shorts underneath. As she fixes her hair, tucking a strand of the golden brown hair behind her ear, there's a knock on the door. Alex freezes and tilts her body to listen as Sean opens the door. She steps out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her as she walks down the hallway and hears voices as she nears the living room. Familiar voices.

"_She wouldn't leave me alone," _a muffled male voice said, a male voice that wasn't Sean. _"I was this close to telling her but I knew seeing the surprise and joy on her face would be worth keeping quiet."_

"_Yeah, Alex has been pestering me all day. She tried to manipulate me into telling her earlier. She's sneaky, that one. She's getting ready right now."_

"_How is she?" _asked a female voice, longing and concern in the usually modulated voice_. Alex stopped in her tracks and felt her heart stop at the same time. She reached out and placed her hand against the wall to catch her balance, breathing in deeply. Nikita. _Could it really be her? Was she here? How was she here?

"_She misses you," _Sean replied a moment later. Alex wanted to interrupt them, run to Nikita and throw her arms around her, but at the same time she wanted to stay here and eavesdrop on them. _"But she's doing really well."_

"_Good. I miss her, too. Thank you for doing this. Both of you." _There was a pause and then Nikita added, _"It's funny how we're the ones who end up together again."_

"_Yeah, I can't get rid of you guys," _Sean replied, all the usual deadpan snark in his tone. Alex smiled, practically seeing the smile on Nikita's face and imagining her placing her hand on Sean's arm.

Taking a deep breath, Alex pushes herself away from the wall and takes a few steps forward, appearing in the living room. She loses her breath when she sees Nikita for the first time in six months, feeling a pang in her heart at the sight of her. _"Nikita," _she said, her voice low and soft, almost sighing the woman's name. She swallows hard and then looks down, seeing her swollen belly.

"_Alex."_

Nikita's hands are on her stomach and then she and Alex step forward at the same time and embrace each other, their arms wrapping around one another tightly. Sean smiles and steps back to give them some space. _"I've missed you."_

"_I've missed you, too."_


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_Ugh, I'm trying not to be lazy, but these days I'm just hella lazy. Anyway, I felt like this took forever, I don't know why. I'm finding Nikita and Owen increasingly difficult to write while Sean and Alex are easier. Hmmm. Anywho, here is chapter two. FINALLY. Nikita and Owen's POV. A few times I wrote from Sean's POV but caught myself. I'm sure a few times it's from Sean's POV, sorry about that. It's 8 am atm and I haven't gone to bed yet. _

_I'm gonna be working on _Safe and Sound_ next. I've been neglecting that series. Again, sorry for being lazy :/_

_And oh, if anyone's interested, in one of the future chapters of this series I'll be working Birkhoff in ;) Shhhhh._

* * *

"_What's going on?" _Nikita had asked, hands on her hips and her eyebrows furrowed suspiciously at Owen as he continued to grin at her. He'd returned two hours late from town, overly eager and insisting they go out tonight. She hadn't been in the mood, but she'd nonetheless agreed to go out since he seemed determined to get her to say yes.

"_You'll see," _was all he had said to her, and that was all she'd been able to get out of him. She'd even threatened him, but he knew all her tricks so she hadn't intimidated him. It infuriated her that she couldn't scare him into telling her what he was up to.

They didn't have far to walk, she noticed. She'd noticed the little house down the hill from them, wondering who lived there and considering going down to introduce herself, but every time she thought about doing so she got distracted and went back to settling into her and Owen's own home. She figured before they went around introducing themselves to their neighbors they should get settled in first.

"_Who lives here?"_ Nikita asked, as they walked up the gravel path to the door. Owen knocked three times and then took a step back, smiling frustratingly smugly at Nikita without giving an answer.

"_I'm going to kick your ass later," _she said, eyeing him so hard and looking away with a shake of her head. When the door opened and she saw Sean, a smile spread across her face and she laughed. _"Oh my God, Sean?" _she said, looking him over and almost pinching him just to make sure it was him.

"_No need to pinch me," _he said. _"It's really me."_

"_Wh-how-" _she broke off, not even sure where to begin. Then it hit her and as soon as the boys saw the look on her face they ushered her in.

"_So, how'd you manage to keep everything a secret from her?" _Sean asked Owen, grinning at Nikita as he did so, earning a smack on the shoulder from her.

"_Almost didn't. ____I was this close to telling her but I knew seeing the surprise and joy on her face would be worth keeping quiet."_ Owen chuckled and side-stepped to avoid a smack on the arm from Nikita, sitting on the arm of the couch as Nikita turned to Sean.

"___Yeah, Alex has been pestering me all day. She tried to manipulate me into telling her earlier. She's sneaky, that one. She's getting ready right now."_

"_How is she?" _Nikita asked him, and Owen looked down with a smile on his face when he heard the eagerness in her voice, mixed with the longing to see her and just know she was okay.

"_She misses you, but she's doing really well."_

"_Good," _Nikita replied, nodding. She had thought about Alex a lot over the past few months, how she regretted not telling her about the pregnancy. She wanted Alex to be the baby's god-mother and aunt so badly. There was no one else she could think of that was better suited for those roles. _"I miss her, too." _More than she could explain. There were some things that couldn't be explained, only displayed. _"Thank you for doing this. Both of you." _It meant a lot to her that they'd go to this trouble, though she doubted that they'd arranged for them all to end up on this one island. If they had, though, that'd be one hell of a coincidence. _"____It's funny how we're the ones who end up together again," __she added, chuckling. _

_"__Yeah, I can't get rid of you guys," _Sean replied, smirking at the two of them.

Nikita smiled and placed her hand on Sean's arm, glancing down for a moment. ___"I know you've never been particularly fond of any of us," _she began, cutting him off when he opened his mouth to protest; ___"but you're a part of the family now Sean, and you know what they say. Once you're in, there's no out," _she teased, smirking right back at him.

Sean sighed heavily and closed his eyes, bowing his head which made Nikita laughed. When she glanced over, she saw Alex and stopped laughed, the smile sliding from her face as the shock set in. She felt her heart skip a beat and she swallowed hard, taking a few steps forward. She placed her hands on her stomach as she heard Alex say her name, which caused her to smile again.

_"__Alex," _she said, and then she throws her arms around Alex and embraces her. She hugs her tightly, clinging to her and grasping some of her golden brown hair in her hand. Closing her eyes, Nikita tilts her head to the side and rests it against Alex's own head, sliding her free hand down Alex's back, rubbing it.

_"__I've missed you," _Alex whispered, so lightly Nikita almost doesn't hear it. She smiles and turns her head to place her lips by Alex's ear.

_"__I've missed you, too," _she whispered back. Pulling away, Nikita takes Alex's face between her hands and presses a kiss to her forehead and then to each cheek before hugging her once more. When Nikita pulled away once more, she cupped the side of Alex's face with one hand and gazed at her, her cheeks stained with tears and a smile on her face. She looked so healthy and so tanned, so much better than when she last saw her. She remembered the Alex back in Division, a ghost of a girl. This was the Alex she had always envisioned; a healthy, beautiful and happy Alex.

_"__Look at you," _Alex said, practically yelled, looking down at Nikita's swollen belly. Nikita looked down with her and laughed. ___"Why didn't you ever tell me?" _she asked, feeling a bit offended at Nikita not telling her about her condition the last time they'd seen each other. It hurt her that she would keep something like this from her.

_"__I wasn't sure if I'd see you again,"_ Nikita explained, sliding her hand down to rest on Alex's shoulder, playing with a lock of her hair. ___"I didn't want to – I didn't want to tell you about the baby and then never see you again. I couldn't bear that for either of us. Fortunately, we both have two very wonderful men who love us," _she added, turning to look at Sean and Owen.

_"__Yeah," _Alex agreed, slipping her arm around Nikita's back as she turned to look at Sean and Owen, a smile on her face. She leaned her head on Nikita's shoulder as she watched them, Owen still perched on the arm of the couch and Sean leaning against the edge of it right beside him, his arms crossed over his chest. They were both watching Nikita and Alex, smug smiles on their faces. ___"We're definitely lucky." _

_"__Now let's celebrate with food," _Owen said. ___"I'm starving."_

_"__This way, mate," _Sean said, clapping Owen on the shoulder and gesturing for him to follow him into the kitchen.

Alex and Nikita stared after them, curious looks on their faces. ___"Did he just -" _Alex began, a smile slowly spreading across her features.

_"__I actually think they're getting along," _Nikita agreed, surprised. She knew they'd never gotten along while in Division. It was hard for men and women to work together and keep romance out of everything, keep it all business. Very hard. But Sean had had nothing to worry about. She wondered, though, if that was the only reason they hadn't gotten along, Sean thinking Owen had had a thing for Alex. Whatever the reason, there was no need to bring the past up now.

_"__Men," _Alex said, sighing and shaking her head.

_"__So what's for dinner?"_

Fish. It had been a long time since either her or Alex had had fish for dinner. Despite that, it'd been delicious. Alex certainly had landed herself a good cook, Nikita had to admit. "It was delicious, Sean," Nikita complimented him after dinner, beginning to get up to help with the dishes.

_"__Thank you. And no, you sit down," _ he said, pointing at her to sit right back down as he got up and grabbed her plate_. ____"Owen and I will do the dishes. You and Alex catch up." __ Sean gave Alex a wink and then went out to the kitchen with Owen, albeit a bit warily since the two of them hadn't spent much time together yet. He knew it was time to change things between them and now was as good a time as any._

_While the boys were in the kitchen, Alex led Nikita out to the backyard, coffee cups in their hands. She took a seat on the loveseat, draping a blanket over herself and Nikita to keep them warm as the sun lowered into the trees, the sky getting darker and darker. ____"So how are you guys getting along out here?" __ Nikita asked. ____"This is some nice land," __she added, surveying it. It looked like they had about four acres of farmland, lots of gardening space for Alex. And the granite farmhouse was in good shape. All the houses here were, surprisingly. _

_"__Okay, I guess," __Alex answered, shrugging as she took a sip of coffee. ____"I teach some self-defense classes in the town center a few days a week. You knew I'd end up doing something like that," __she added, when Nikita shot her a look and Alex grinned. ____"I was too restless. I had to do something. I'll never lose that edge. Besides, it's good. And Sean hasn't lost that edge, either. We work out together. Spar, you know. We go running along some trails now every other morning. I counter that by gardening," __she continued. ____"We've got four acres of land, so-... we've a stream up that way, and a few ponds. It's nice. I really like it here. It's funny, I never thought – I just never thought the day would actually come when we'd both be here, you know? It seems too good to be true. I keep waiting for something to happen." _

Alex sighed, looking down at the dark liquid in the cup cradled between her hands, feeling sad for only a brief moment. When she looked up, she put on a smile for Nikita. ___"Nothing bad's going to happen, Alex." _Nikita reached over and ran her fingers through Alex's hair, a gesture Alex found soothing and which made her slightly relax.

_"__Yeah, that's why my mom keeps saying," _ she said, and went on to talk about how they emailed and wrote letters to each other every week, talked on the phone once a month._ "W____hat about y_ou and Owen? Where were you two before coming here?" she asked, inwardly cringing asking about Nikita and Owen. She didn't want to bring up how weird it was, the two of them. She'd studied them during dinner, trying to see what she'd missed all those months in Division. Had she seen the attraction but ignored it? Maybe. She'd had her own problems to worry about, to be honest.

_"__Just a few places" __Nikita answered, resting her coffee cup on her thigh. ____"We went to Budapest, Istanbul, Berlin, Normandy, Barcelona and India. Stayed a few weeks in each place, but we stayed the longest in India. You know me, I had to visit the birthplace of yoga," __ she added, smiling cheekily at Alex._

_"__Sounds like you two had a lot of fun," __Alex said, laughing. Then her laughter slowly faded and she sighed heavily and studied Nikita carefully, hesitating._

_"__What is it?" _Nikita asked, sensing something wrong? She tilted her head to the side, studying Alex and already surmising what it was that Alex wanted to ask her. It was only logical.

_"__Why him?"_

She smiled, immediately looking down and rubbing her lips together. ___"You'll never understand why, Alex. Not truly. But the best answer I can give to you is this: do you remember when I was in London?" _When Alex nodded, Nikita continued. ___"I went to London with Owen to help him track down a fellow Guardian, but before that? Before that – before that something happened between us. Michael wasn't in the picture yet. He was still in Division, still working under Percy. Owen was the first person after Daniel I connected with, which was ironic since he was the one who killed him. And believe me, that bothered me. It really did. I had imagined so many times what I'd do once I met the person who killed Daniel. I never thought I'd forgive him, befriend him, accept him as a partner and an ally, and eventually fall in love with him. I connected on an emotional level with Owen that I really needed at that time. I needed someone in the same world as me. You weren't in that world yet and I didn't want you to be. I still wish I hadn't put in Division. I'm so sorry, Alex." __Nikita sighed, realizing she'd gotten off track. ____"We were together for almost a year after London. As you know, Owen was having some problems with the Guardian regime. We were trying to find a way to get him off of it together." _She paused, glancing back at the house since it'd been a long time since she'd talked about this with anyone. ___"We were tracking a doctor in Russia when we got separated. I saw him get shot and – and fall over a bridge. I looked for him. I dove in that water and looked for him but I couldn't find him. I stayed in Russia for weeks searching for him but I never found him. I thought he was dead. I came back to the States, but I kept some Russian contacts, asked them to keep an eye out for Owen. I heard nothing for several months. And then one day – well, you know the rest." _Nikita swallowed hard, feeling sick to her stomach, not from the pregnancy but from what she had shared. She still hated herself sometimes for not trying harder to find Owen, for feeling like she'd given up too soon on him.

_"__Do you regret what you did?"_ Alex asked. ___"Giving up on him? Moving on and falling in love with Michael?" _Alex's question hit a nerve, especially since it was so close to her thoughts at the moment. It was also so, so complicated that she wasn't completely sure if she could really give her a good answer. A clear answer. She couldn't even organize her thoughts.

_"__Yes. No, I mean – yes and no. It's complicated. I feel like I gave up on Owen too soon. I could feel he was still alive. I never gave up hope that he was - I continued to read news articles involving Russia and everything, and I kept in touch with contacts, but-... I never heard anything. There was nothing involving Owen. He just... disappeared. I didn't know what to think. As for Michael – I regret hurting Owen that way, but I truly did love Michael. I just regret hurting Michael, too. I love both of them. Let me ask you something."_

_"__Okay," _Alex replied, laughing nervously. She shifted in her seat, turning so her body was facing Nikita. She tucked her legs underneath her and rested her arm on the back of the loveseat, head resting in her hand.

_"__We never talked much about Sean and I'm sorry about that, so I'm fixing that now. You love him, right?"_

_"__I do,"_ she said, slowly and smiling slowly as well. It had taken her a long time to be able to say those words out loud to him. Three simple words, so hard to say. At least for her.

_"What happened between you guys in Division__?" _Nikita asked, reaching out and placing her hand on Alex's. _"I know you two fought. That he wanted you to leave. Alex, if he wanted you to leave, you should have. I would have understood if you wanted to. You didn't have to stay for me_."

_"__I don't ____know," _Alex replied, afraid at first to tell her what had really went on between them. She smiled hearing she could have left, that Nikita would have been okay with her leaving. It made her rather sad, but it was comforting to know that she would have had her blessing. At the same time, however, she grew piqued that she was only now getting it. She wished Nikita had been around more all those months ago, that she'd been able to confide all this to her, tell her this and possibly be able to discuss leaving Division.

_"I was scared," _Alex finally confessed. _"I was trying to protect Sean from myself. I still haven't told him much about my past. As a sex slave, you know. It's hard. It's not something I like to talk about - it's something I'm ashamed about. I know it's something I should talk about with him, believe me I know," _she added, when Nikita shot her a look. _"I just felt like Sean was too good for me. I felt like I didn't deserve him. And another part of me was scared because I loved him - because I do love him so much. He's become my world. And everyone I've ever loved has left me and I couldn't bear the thought," _(and here she pressed her hand against her heart, putting emphasis on her words), _"of losing him. It hurts too much. He's my first love. My first true love."_

_"__Oh, Alex," _Nikita said, smiling warmly at Alex. ___"Come here," _she added. Nikita took their coffees and set the cups on the ground and then reached her arm out and pulled Alex in for a hug. Alex moved closer to Nikita and lay her head on her shoulder, pulling the blanket up around them. She cuddled against her, smiling when Nikita rested her head against the top of Alex's own head. _"Sean loves you," _she whispered, rubbing her hand up and down her arm. _"Don't be afraid to confide in him. I don't think Sean's going anywhere."__  
_

She really would try to confide in Sean, little by little. She'd told him bits and pieces of her past. Parts of her childhood in Russia, about her parents. Her father's death. He already knew all about her mother, had already met her. They'd talked about flying her out here eventually, maybe for Christmas. It was just the prostitution and drugs she hadn't opened up about much yet. She'd alluded to it, but not completely. "We've___ got some pretty great guys, don't we?"_ Alex asked, lifting her hand to wipe away a tear streaming down her cheek.

_"__Yes, we do," _Nikita said, turning her head to press a kiss to Alex's hair. ___"Let's not ever take them for granted."_

_"__Never,"_ Alex agreed, not wanting to do that to Sean again. She'd done it before, realizing how much she depended on him when he was deployed on how much his absence affected her. She'd fallen apart in his absence and she didn't want to lose him again. She was tired of losing the people she loved. She finally had Sean and Nikita and everything seemed in a good place for once. ___"Speaking of our boys, should we go check on them?" _she asked.

_"__Nah, let's let them bond."_

The silence was painful at first, and several times Sean had considered sticking a fork into the side of his neck just to escape the awkwardness, but then they started talking and then... well, the more they talked the less pretense there was. His mind was still reeling from the way things had turned out – him and Nikita being together and not Michael, plus the fact that Sean had always thought Owen had a thing for Alex. But the main thing that was bugging him at the moment wasn't either of those things.

_"So, let me ask you something,"_ Sean began, putting the plates away. _"Even though you're technically Sam now, she still calls you Owen?" he asked, referring to Nikita. "Isn't it confusing, and don't you ever, you know, want her to call you by your real name?"_

_"I'll always be Owen to her,"_ he said after a few moments of consideration. _"And to be honest, Owen is just a more watered-down version of Sam. The truth is, though, I prefer who I was with Nikita. Who I am with Nikita. And that's Owen. My life as Sam, that's not what I want. Or wanted. Or want again. She changed me and -... she made me a better person. I used to believe if we can't change then we don't deserve to live. Nikita brings out the good in people." _

_"You two are an odd yet seemingly good combination, I have to admit,"_ Sean said, studying Owen._ "How have you two been -?"_

_"A couple years, I think,"_ he said, not entirely sure, but he was sure a couple years had passed since he'd first met Nikita._ "It's been a long time. I never thought we'd get this far."_

_"Yeah, me either,"_ Sean replied, letting out a laugh and sighing. He finished putting the dishes away and then opened the refrigerator and grabbed a couple beers for him and Owen. He uncapped them and then handed one bottle to Owen, taking a swig from his own bottle._ "I always thought Division was indestructible,"_ he admitted, relieved to be talking about the place with someone. He and Alex talked about it now and then, but only rarely. They were trying to move on and put it past them, even though there were things about Division they still needed to discuss. Maybe he could discuss them with Owen instead.

_"Nothing's indestructible,"_ Owen replied, taking a sip of beer._ "Everything's got a weakspot. Division was bound to fall sooner or later. Just sorry I wasn't there to see it happen."_

_"I wasn't there either. Hell, wish I had been. I wish I'd been the one to press the button to blow the place up."_ Sean shook his head, wishing his mother was alive to know the place was gone, that everything was dismantled and they didn't have to worry about anything anymore. At the thought of her, he felt an ache and missed her, wishing he'd visited her grave more often.

_"At least it's gone,"_ Owen said, and that was all that mattered. _"And so is Amanda."_

_"What happened with her, anyway?"_ Sean asked, not having the details on what had happened with Amanda. _"Which one of you got to finish her off?"_

Owen smirked, taking another sip of his drink before he arched a brow and grabbed an apple from the bowl on the counter, taking a large bite out of it just to tease Sean and torture him a little bit by making him wait for a reply._ "I did,"_ he finally answered, after several moments._ "Nikita got some punches in, but I stuck the knife in. And if you're about to ask if she's really dead,"_ he continued, pointing a finger at him and then waving his hand in dismissal, not even wanting to think of the possibility of Amanda surviving being stabbed and then being burned alive in a house - "___We burned down the house we'd been staying in with Amanda inside. I don't see how she could survive that."_

_"Well, it's been six months. So far, so good."_ Sean held his beer bottle up in a cheer and then drank from it. He led the way out of the kitchen and into the living room.

Once they reached the living room, Owen paused when he saw Nikita and Alex from where he was standing, their silhouettes from the porch. It was getting dark outside, but he could tell they were cuddled together. He smiled, glad Nikita finally had this closure. She wouldn't have admitted it, but he knew it'd hurt her to leave Alex and that it'd been killing her to be away from her. He wasn't sure she knew just how close they were, how much she needed Alex. Nikita always thought Alex needed her, but she never took the time to consider how much she needed Alex, as well.

Without an explanation, Sean set his beer down and left the room. Owen watched him, his eyebrow arched for a moment, then he shook his head and just looked around and hung out. He studied the place, admiring how they'd made it feel like a home even though it wasn't really decorated with much. They had a few pictures here and there – on the mantel was a framed photo of them in wintertime; Alex wore a smile and Sean had his arm around her, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. Owen smiled and as he turned around Sean came back into the living room carrying two plates, slices of what looked like chocolate cakes on them. He took them out to the girls.

_"I would've taken a slice,"_ Owen said, but Sean didn't hear him.

When she heard the door open, Alex glanced over her shoulder and smiled when she saw Sean._ "Hey,"_ she said. _"What's that?"_

_"Some cake for you two,"_ he said. Alex's lips formed an O and she pulled away from Nikita, taking the plate from him. Nikita took her plate from Sean and thanked him.

_"Thank you,"_ Alex said, smiling as she leaned up to reward Sean with a kiss. She rolled her tongue against his, and then caught his bottom lip between her teeth and gave it a playful tug then sucked on it before finally pulling away, grinning at him.

_"How are you and Owen getting on?"_ Nikita asked, taking a bite of the cake. Ever since the pregnancy, she'd decided to indulge herself and lately she'd been craving chocolate. And the chocolate here was fantastic. She had to avoid dark chocolate, though, which gave her migraines.

_"Well, there hasn't been any yelling or punching yet, so I think we're doing good,_" he joked. When Nikita shot him a critical look, he smiled boyishly and sighed. _"We're fine. Don't worry about us."_ He reached out and cupped the side of Alex's face and then left them, but not before lighting some candles to give the girls some light once the sun fully set and left them in darkness.

_"How're they doing out there?"_ Owen asked, once Sean come back inside.

_"Good. They're catching up."_

Owen nodded, inhaling deeply and then letting out a sigh. Sean arched an eyebrow at him, a corner of his mouth tugging up in a smile._ "So what do guys do here?"_ Owen asked taking a seat on the edge of the arm chair. He set his beer bottle on his knee.

_"Well, Alex teaches self-defense classes in the town center a few days a week. To relax she gardens. Weird, I know, but she likes it. I don't garden, just so you know. Well, obviously my past as a SEAL means nothing here. There's no base here. So I took a job on a construction site. The guys are good, you know, the people are nice. They're cautious at first, but they come around. Alex won them over, really. What about you and Nikita?"_

_"For now Nikita's just taking it easy,"_ Owen said, shrugging lightly._ "She doesn't want too much stress. I know what she would love to do, though. Teach a yoga class. I just know it. She does that shit all the time. She's even tried to get me to do it. I'm still looking for a job. I figure I'll find something. Saint Martin is pretty big, there's gotta be lots of places looking for people."_

_"You know, I can put in a word for you at the construction site, if you want,"_ Sean offered. It was funny, Owen had always thought Sean had hated him, that he would have rather taken a knife in the eye than work with him, and yet here he was offering to get him a job so they could work together. Oh, how times changed.

_"I'd appreciate that, but only if you don't mind."_

_"I don't mind," _Sean said, and meant it.

Owen smiled and nodded, rubbing his lips together. They fell into comfortable silence after that, drinking their beers and glancing the girls out back now and then. After another hour had passed and they had talked a little more, they finally stood up and went outside.

As soon as Nikita saw Owen, she let out a sigh and nodded, turning to look at Alex, who had resumed her position after they had finished their slices of cake. Nikita kept her arm wrapped around the girl, though, dipping her head to kiss the top of Alex's head. "It's getting late; we should get going," she said, and Alex let out a little whimper and pouted. "I'll come back tomorrow. Or even better, you can come over and see me and even help me out with some stuff. I can lounge around while bossing you around," she added, smirking.

_"Sounds like a plan,"_ Alex replied, reluctantly pulling away. She stood up and held out her hands for Nikita to take, pulling her up to standing. Instead of leaving the way they had come, Alex suggested they leave via the trail. "It's a bit of a hike, but it's worth it. The trail is easy to follow, don't worry. There's a little bridge over a stream. You'll be home in no time."

Smiling, Nikita reached out and brushed the side of Alex's face with her hand and then enveloped her in a hug. _"I'll see you soon,"_ she whispered, whilst glancing at Sean standing across from her and smiling at him.

Alex hugged Nikita tightly, biting down on her bottom lip and nodding in agreement. _"Soon,"_ she agreed, smiling as they pulled away from the hug.

Owen slipped his arm around Nikita and they walked along the path that led up to their farmhouse a few miles away, following the directions Alex had given them. He glanced down at Nikita now and then, not disturbing the reverie she had fallen into. He brought his hand up and ran his fingers through her hair, a gesture which made her smile and rest her head against his shoulder. He turned his head and kissed the top of hers and then wrapped his arm around her again, holding her tight as they followed the trail back to the farmhouse. Sean and Alex had been right. The walk only took a little under twenty minutes, maybe less if you walked faster.

"Hey," Nikita said, grabbing Owen's hand once they were up in the bedroom of their farmhouse, the place locked up and all the lights off. She pulled him close, looking up at him. He looked down at her, lifting his hand and brushing a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "Thank you for tonight."

"I'd do anything for you, you know that, right?" he asked, cupping the side of her neck. She nodded, and he leaned down to press his lips against hers. She parted her lips for him, inviting his tongue into her mouth with her own and rolling her tongue against his. She took a few steps back until she felt the edge of the bed against the backs of her knees, and then she reached down and pulled Owen's shirt up and over his head, tossing it on the floor.

When she heard Owen let out a chuckle, she looked up with a slightly furrowed brow. _"What?"_

_"Always wanting me naked,"_ he teased.

_"Clothes are a nuisance for you, you have to admit,"_ she said, grinning._ "Besides, between the two of us, you're the more appealing one of us naked."_

_"Hey, I've told you before, I still find you gorgeous. I always will."_ He placed his hand on her shoulder, slowly pushing down the strap of her dress, revealing her golden brown shoulder. Dipping his head, he kissed her shoulder and then up to the crook of her neck, sucking on the hollow point between her collar bones.

Nikita sighed, slowly closing her eyes and tilting her head to the side as she shuddered at the kisses Owen pressed to her shoulder and up to her neck, making her smile, go a little weak in the knees. She placed her hands on his arms, gripping onto him as he kissed even further up her neck and sucked on her skin, even nipped here and there making her laugh lightly.

She tilted her head back to tease him as she felt his lips along her jawline, the heat and wetness of his tongue against her skin. When she opened her eyes, their eyes met and he grabbed her by the side of her face and crushed their lips together. _"You're terrible,"_ she murmured, pulling away from kissing him and catching his bottom lip between her teeth and briefly pulling on it.

With a smile on his face, Owen watched her as she took her dress off and got under the covers, all the meanwhile doing it seductively and attempting to tease him. _"You're just as bad,"_ he pointed out, taking his pants off and getting into bed beside her. He slipped his arm behind her and she lay against him, her back against his chest. These days she preferred it that way, more comfortable with her back against his chest and her head against his shoulder. She slid down in the bed until she was comfortable and then lay her head against his shoulder, both his arms wrapped around her and her own arms wrapped around her as well.

Owen pressed his lips to Nikita's hair, bringing a smile to her face. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment and enjoying how perfect everything felt. She had, Owen and Alex and Sean. She had a little girl on the way. Everything was falling into place. Finally.


End file.
